PS 63? 


HIS LAST SCOUT 


A 

Military Drama 


IN TWO ACTS 


y 

BY WILLIAM BOOTH MAN 


Copyright, 1887. All rights reserved 


CHICAGO: 
i 887 





HIS LAST SCOUT 


A 


Military Drama 


m TWO ACTS 


by william Booth man 


Copyright, 1887. All rights reserved 


CHICAGO : 
1887 


Nl0v . 

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HIS LAST SCOUT 


A Military Drama in Two Acts. 

7S£ 3 ' . 

CAST OF CHARACTERS: 

UNION. 

BILL STEVENS, A Scout 

JACK STEVENS, A Scout 

HARRY JONES, A Soldier 

CHARLIE BOND, A Soldier 

SAM, The Cook 

COL. LeGRAND 

CAPTAIN MILLER 

SERGEANT DeVOE 

CORPORAL DeWITT 

MRS. WARE 

MARY WARE 

Soldiers, etc. 

CONFEDERATE. 

CAPTAIN QUANTRELL 

LIEUT. ARCH. CLEMENS 

JIM CLEMENS 


Soldiers, etc. 


ACT FIRST. 


SCENE i. — (U nion camp, showing tents, men lying about, read- 
ing, writing and playing cards. Jack Stevens reading on right ol 
stage.) 

Harry Jones. — (Coming from back of stage.) “ Come, Jack, 
give us a song to cheer us up to-night. We all seem to be very 
quiet.” 

Jack Stevens. — “ No, no, not to-night, I don’t feel like sing- 
ing. Call on Bill, there. He seems to be in a lively mood. I feel 
as if something was going to happen. The thought of those loved 
ones at home comes to my mind with greater force than ever 
before.” 

Harry. — “Well, well, cheer up, Jack. Don’t let these thoughts 
oppress your mind so much.” (To Bill, who is playing cards on 
the left:) “ Come, Bill, sing us one of your comic songs to-night, 
to drive away this gloomy spell that seems to be gathering 
over us.” 

Bill. — (Coming to front.) “ Why, of course I’ll sing or do any- 
thing to pass away the time and make the boys forget the toils of 
these long and weary marches.” (Sings. At the end of song a 
noise is heard as if some one was running.) “Ha, here comes old 
Sam, running as if the ‘ Old Harry’ was after him. I’ll bet there’s 
something in the wind now, boys.” (Enter Sam with a sack on his 
back, filled with chickens, turnips and cabbage.) “ Hello, Sam, 
what’s up now? Is the Southern Confederacy after you?” 

Sam. — “You’d better b’lieve, Massa Bill, dis yere ole coon’s bin 
makin’ tracks fur dis camp. Specks you’d dun de same if you dun 
seed dem gorrillas as dis coon seed.” (All laugh.) 

Bill. — “W ell, what have you seen, Sam? Tell us.” 

Sam. — (Looking serious.) “I’se dun seed a thousand of dem 
gorrillas. As I’se a cornin’ ober de hill dar, and lookin’ on de udder 
side, I saw two of dem sneaking in de hollah.” 

Bill. — “Ha, ha! Sam, you just said there was a thousand, 
and now you come down to two. Don’t you think, Sam, there was 
only one? ” 

SAM. — “No, Massa Bill, I dun seed two gorrillas, suah, and dar 
mout have bin a lot more.” 


3 


Bill. — “But what have you here, Sam?” (Opens sack.) “I 
see you have not forgotten to stick to this. So you have been 
foraging, eh?” 

SAM.— “ You bet dis ole coon’s not gwine to eat Massa Linkum’s 
truck when dar am good chickens an fodder in dese parts. But 
heah comes de Sahgeant, boys. I’se a-gwine.” (Exit on right, 
picking up the sack.) 

Sergeant. -(Entering on left.) “ Boys, I have a detail here 
for four men, from Company F, to go out with a scouting party, 
who leave in an hour. They are going to hunt up that guerrilla, 
Quantrell, who is hiding somewhere in this locality. Who wants to 
go?” 

BILL. — “ I’ll go for one, Sergeant." 

Jack. — “ Put me down for one." 

Harry Jones.— “ And I." 

Charlie Bond. — “ And I.” 

SERGEANT. — “ All right, boys, I knew Company F would be 
ready when there was anything to do. Now get ready to report 
at headquarters in half an hour, and take three day’s rations with 
you.” (Exit Sergeant on left, soldiers retire on right and left. 
Detail remain to make preparations.) 

Sam. — (Enters with package.) “ Say, boys, don’t you want 
some of dese chickens to take with you on de scout ? It am 
mighty good.” (Hands to Bill.) 

BILL. — “ Thank you, Sam. I expect it will go very good when 
we are on the road, if those thousand guerrillas don’t meet us and 
capture it." 

Sam. — “ Nebber mind, Massa Bill, jes’ keep your eyes open. 
Dat Quantrell am mighty cunnin’.” 

SCENE 2D. — (Street. Sam, coming from right, meets two 
soldiers from left, who stop him and make him sing “ When This 
Cruel War is Over.” Soldiers with banjo and bones.) 

SCENE 3D. — (Tent. Headquarters. Colonel LeGrand writing 
on box. Guard at entrance of tent. Scouting party waiting for 
orders. Captain Miller leaning on log on right.) 

Orderly. — (From Headquarters, salutes.) “Captain Miller, 
Colonel LeGrand wishes to see you in his tent.” (Exit Captain and 
Orderly. Bill and Jack enter from left. Jack leans against a tree. 


4 


Kilter Captain Miller with papers in hand, and calls the names; 
“ Kill Stevens; Jack Stevens.” They answer: “ Here, Captain,” 
and step up to him.) 

Captain Miller.— “By the order of Colonel LeGrand, both 
of you are hereby detailed as special scouts for the reason that you 
are much better acquainted with this part of Missouri than any one 
else. Here are your orders. Read them carefully and then destroy 
them. Sergeant, get your men in line and call the roll, for we 
must be moving.” (Exit Bill and Jack.) 

SERGEANT. — “ Fall in, men. (Calls roll and marches scouts off 
on left.) 

SCENE 4 TH. — (Landscape. Enter scouting party. Men sit 

down as if weary. Captain sits on a log. Enter Bill and Jack.) 

Captain Miller. — “ Well, boys, is there any news in regard to 
the guerrillas ? ” 

Bill. — “Not yet, Captain. To find them is no easy task, I 
assure you.” 

Captain Miller. — “It seems strange that we do not learn of 
their whereabouts or find any clue to them, when we know they are 
lurking about in this locality.” 

Bill. — “Well, you see, Captain, these rebel women are watch- 
ing every movement we make, and keep Quantrell well posted. 
They come into camp to sell their truck, which is, in fact, simply 
to find out what is going on and then report to him. But there is 
one more place where they may be hidden. We are going there 
to-night.” 

Jack. — “ Never fear, Captain. If Quantrell or any of his gang 
are about, we will find them, for we have an old score to settle.” 

Captain Miller. — “All right boys. Get off as soon as you 
can, and we will camp here until you return. (Exit Bill and Jack.) 
Sergeant, post your guard, and let the men rest a few hours until 
the scouts return.” 

(Sergeant posts the guard and men prepare to lie down. Cap- 
tain Miller reclines on a rock.) 

CURTAIN. 

SCENE 5th. — (Wood. Jack sitting on a rock. Bill looking 
around to see that the coast is clear; goes up to Jack and slaps 
him on the shoulder.) 


5 


BILL. — “Come Jack, why are you so sad and silent to-night? 
I have not seen you in this mood before.” 

JACK. — “I don’t know why it’s so, Bill, but somehow 1 cannot 
help it. I feel as if this was my last scout. (Rises and comes 
forward.) “ Bill, if I should fall in this expedition, bear this 
package and message to Jennie. Tell her how I loved her, and 
that I died for our beloved country and that flag which waves over 
the land of the free.” 

Bill. — “Cheer up, brother. All will yet be well when we have 
whipped these rebels back into the Union which they are trying to 
destroy. But come. Just across the creek is the place of Captain 
Ware, who is now with General Grant before Richmond. Let’s go 
and see if his folks are all right.” 

Jack. — “ Ha, ha! Bill, I think that pretty Mary Ware has 
something to do with your wanting to go there. But lead on, Bill, 
I am always ready where duty calls.” 

( Tableau . End of Act /.) 


ACT SECOND. 

SCENE 1ST. — (Room in Ware’s house. Mrs. and Mary Ware sit 
sewing and conversing about the war.) 

Mrs. Ware. — “ I tell you, Mary, there is no telling when those 
hateful rebels may come and burn the house over our heads. How 
I do wish this war was over.” 

Mary. — (Going to the door.) “ Hark, I hear some one coming 
to the door! May God protect us!" 

(Enter guerrilla with pistol and knife in scabbard.) 

Jim CLEMENS. — “ Ha, here you are my beauties. So you’re all 
alone in this fine house of Captain Ware? And he is off to rob us 
of our niggers, is he? Bah! One Southerner is good for five 
Yanks.” (Starts to search house. Sees a ring on Mary’s finger.) 
“ Give me that ring. I know some one that it will just fit.” (Takes 
ring.) “Come, get us some grub. I’m almost starving.” 

Mary. — “Never! I would rather die than get a meal for you 
or any of your gang ! ” 


6 


GUERRILLA. — (Partly draws knife.) “ Keep a civil tongue or 
I’ll give you a taste of this !” 

(Returns knife, and goes to desk to take out letters. Mary 
rushes up to him, snatches the letters and runs. Guerrilla draws 
knife and rushes after her, and is in the act of striking. Jack and 
Bill seen at the door ; Jack with pistol drawn. Mary screams, Jack 
fires and guerrilla falls. Enter Jack and Bill, search rebel and find 
papers. 

TABLEAU. 

SCENE 2ND. — (Woods. Guerrillas camped about on stage. En- 
ter Quantrell on left.) 

Quantrell. — Well, boys, have those two men returned who 
went out to reconnoitre ? ” 

Guerrilla. — “ They have just come in. Captain. But here 
comes Lieutenant Clemens who can tell you all about it. (Enter 
Lieutenant.) 

Quantrell. — “ Well, Lieutenant, what news have you ? Did 
our women get the information we wanted ? ” 

LIEUTENANT. — “ They did, Captain. There is no doubt that 
they will keep us posted on all that is going on in the Union camp. 
A scouting party has started out to find us. I also hear that Bill and 
Jack Stevens are out with them — the two brothers who were with 
the scouting party who killed poor Walter Ford down in Saline 
County. I owe them one for that, and you bet I’ll pay them off.” 

Quantrell. — “Ha, I see you have not forgotten your old friend 
Walter yet.” 

LIEUTENANT. — “No, and I never will ; but it’s strange, Captain, 
that brother Jim does not return. He went out last night on a 
little scout of his own. He said he was going to visit Captain 
Ware’s folks, the Yankee Captain, who is now before Richmond 
with the Union forces. I should like to have Jim with us when we 
have a brush with this Yankee scouting party.” 

Guerrilla. — (Enters and salutes Captain Quantrell.) “Captain, 
the Union scouts are marching within five miles of us, and are 
making towards the Rocky Pass, and they seem to be well posted 
as to our whereabouts.” 

QUANTRELL. — “Lieutenant, get your men together and we will 
meet them near the Pass.” 


7 


Lieutenant.- “All right, Captain.” (Gets men in line and 
marches them off.) 

SCENE 3D. — (Landscape same as Scene 4th, Act 1st. Union 
scouts lying around. Captain Miller sitting on a log on right. 
Sergeant and men eating from haversacks.) 

Captain Miller. — “ Sergeant, 1 think it is about time our 
scouts were in." (Bill and Jack enter from left.) “Ha, here they 
come.” (Bill and Jack come to the front.) “ Well, what news? ” 

Bill. — “ Well, Captain, we found them down there by the 
Tetsaw Plains, not far from the Rocky Pass. By the way, Captain, 
we had a little adventure last night. A few miles from here we 
were just going into Captain Ware's house when we heard a terri- 
ble scream. Jack was in front, looking through the partly open 
door. We saw one of Quantrell’s guerrillas, with a knife drawn, in 
the act of striking Mary Ware. Crack went Jack’s pistol and down 
went Mr. Reb. From papers found in his pockets we learned who 
he was and where his party were camping. It was Jim Clemens, a 
brother of Arch. Clemens, Quantrell’s Lieutenant. 

Captain Miller. — “All right, boys, fall in; we must be 
moving. Let every man keep a good lookout." (To Bill and Jack:) 
“ Lead on.” (Scouts march off.) 

Scene 4TH. — (Rocky Pass. Knter guerrillas from right, who 
halt in center of stage.) 

Quantrell. — “ Now, boys, get behind anything you can find 
and keep low. Lieutenent Clemens and I will stay here.” (Pointing 
to rocks on stage.) 

Lieutenan t Clemens. — “ Here they come, Captain. Look 
out!” 

(Quantrell and Clemens get behind rocks. Other guerrillas 
retire on left of upper entrance. Quantrell and Clemens commence 
firing, which is returned from right by Union scouts, after which 
Bill and Jack make a dash for them.) 

Bill. — “ Here they are. Jack! ” 

(Quantrell and Clemens rise from behind rock and fire. Jack 
falls. Quantrell rushes off stage. Clemens and Jack meet and 
draw knives. Knife combat. Clemens falls. Union scouts cheer. 
Guerrillas driven in from left to center of stage. Union scouts at 
charge. 

TABLEAU. 


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